Donaire learns from Sugar Ray, Floyd

ABS-CBN News

Filipino Flash to negate Mathebula's height

MANILA, Philippines – World boxing champion Nonito “The Filipino Flash” Donaire Jr. will try to mimic a couple of boxing legends when he faces the taller Jeffrey Mathebula of South Africa this July.

The Filipino-American told RingTV that boxing greats “Sugar” Ray Leonard and Floyd Mayweather Jr. will serve as his references in beating the 5-foot-10 Mathebula.

“Going back to history, you have Ray Leonard who fought the taller guy in Thomas Hearns. Or Floyd Mayweather who fought the taller Diego Corrales,” said Donaire. “So we can try to get a little bit of that from those fights.”

Donaire will attempt to unify his World Boxing Organization (WBO) super bantamweight crown with Mathebula’s International Boxing Federation (IBF) title on July 7.

The fight will take place at the Home Depot Center in Carson City, California.

The 5-foot-5½ Donaire said that to be successful against Methebula, he needs to go around the South African’s longer reach.

“I think that he will definitely use his height and his length. I just have to get past that jab, and then, once I get beyond that jab, then that's pretty much it,” he said.

Donaire and his coach Robert Garcia employed taller sparring partners to help the Filipino Flash prepare against Mathebula.

“No matter what type of style, I've been able to box guys in sparring who are 5-10, 5-11, and we've been able to work with that.”

ABS-CBN will air the Donaire-Mathebula fight card on Channel 2 on July 8, Sunday, starting at 10 am.